Skin is one of the largest organs in the body and covers substantially the entire body surface. Skin is composed of two main layers: the surface epithelium or epidermis which includes the uppermost stratum corneum, and the subjacent connective tissue layer or dermis. The skin has a number of functions such as protecting an organism from injury and dessication, receiving environmental stimuli, excreting various substances, regulating body temperature and helping to maintain water balance. Because of its quantitative and qualitative importance, substantially intact and healthy skin is crucial not only for the well being of an organism but for its very survival.
The health and integrity of skin may be compromised by wounds, abrasions, ulcers, burns, infections, irritations, microbes, soil, water, other physical or chemical injuries, and other conditions for which normal skin production and repair processes may be inadequate. For example, acute conditions such as patients who are burned over a large surface area often require immediate skin replacement. Less life-threatening but chronic skin problems such as decubitus ulcers, psoriasis, acne vulgaris, blemishes, age spots, sclerosis, or irritations from diaper rash may progress to more severe conditions if left untreated. Skin treatments encompass a variety of methods and products. These may range from symptomatic treatments such as the use of topical anti-inflammatory compounds to the use of replacement skin.
Exposure of the skin to water over a prolonged time period produces deleterious effects on the integrity and condition of the skin, such as maceration and damage to the barrier function of skin. For example, long term water exposure is a known cause of dermatitis. Dermatitis, defined as an inflammation of the skin, is a major problem in professions in which a portion of the skin is subject to prolonged water exposure (the so-called “wet professions”). Soldiers serving in tropical climates are also known to suffer from painful swollen feet (“tropical immersion foot”) due to long term water exposure. Such situations comprise a large part of occupational medicine and have a significant economic impact. Thus, there is a need for treatment and prevention of these deleterious effects on the skin.
It has been established that the water and soil repellency of surfaces can be improved by the use of silicone compositions. There has been extensive research and development involving silicone compositions for rendering surfaces water repellent. U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,540 (Ohlhausen) discloses water repellent film-forming compositions of alkylpolysiloxanes, acid and solvent which result in durable and effective water repellent films on various surfaces. Further improvements in solventless compositions for treating porous and nonporous surfaces have been made as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,181 (Ludwig and Ohlhausen). The '181 patent satisfied a need which existed for soil and water repellent compositions that eliminate solvents and utilize the silicone more effectively and economically. Additional improvements in soil and water repellent compositions were made by providing physiologically acceptable compositions that were non-corrosive and non-irritating to the eyes and skin of the user in accordance with Federal Hazard Substances Act and Consumer Product Safety Commission 16 CFR 1500 Guidelines as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,733 (Ludwig and Ohlhausen).
Many different types of hard and soft surfaces have also been rendered antimicrobial by coating with different agents. Organosilane quaternary nitrogen compounds have also been employed effectively in eliminating and/or reducing microbial contamination when applied to a variety of surfaces. For instance, bacterial, viral and fungal contamination may be eliminated or reduced when such organosilane quaternary compounds are applied to surfaces. Commercially available quaternary ammonium organosilanes which have been used for this purpose include 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldidecylmethyl ammonium chloride, and 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyltetradecyldimethyl ammonium chloride. The following patents and patent applications disclose the use of siliconized and/or non-siliconized quaternaries, solvents and sufactants/detergents for the cleaning and/or water repellent treatment of substrates: U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,028; U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,030; U.S. Pat. No. 6,559,111; U.S. Pat. No. 6,897,191; U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,072; U.S. Publ. No. 2005/0089695; U.S. Publ. No. 2005/0020474; U.S. Publ. No. 2003/0109395; U.S. Pat. No. 6,881,247; U.S. Pat. No. 5,426,204; U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,355; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,755.
Compositions and processes for medicating human skin disorders using hydrogen peroxide as an active antimicrobial agent are very well known. Compositions which include essentially hydrogen peroxide in aqueous media or with volatile and non-volatile carrier-solvents have been routinely used. Other therapeutic agents have been added to the hydrogen peroxide compositions for treating various skin ailments. Accordingly, pharmaceutical and cosmetic compositions have been disclosed in the patent art, and the following patents are representative of such disclosures, including: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,906,810; 5,958,984; 5,380,764; 4,826,681; and 3,954,974; and U.S. Publ. No. 2003/0008018.
It had previously been established with reference to our earlier application U.S. Ser. No. 10/698,313, filed Oct. 31, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,890, that the organosilane quat in combination with the hydrogen peroxide had surfactant properties which enable a soiled surface to be cleaned and simultaneously rendered water and soil repellent, as well as antimicrobial. Accordingly, everyday surfaces that are soiled with everyday household soil that results from cooking, eating, washing, etc., may be simultaneously cleaned and provided with a bonded organosilane quaternary coating that rather durably repels water and soil while having antimicrobial properties.
As also reported in our earlier '313 application, the organosilane quat in combination with the hydrogen peroxide provides synergistic results upon bonding onto surfaces. The inventive composition containing the combination of the organosilane quat and hydrogen peroxide components provides unexpectedly improved bonding and durability of the composition on various surfaces. In other words, the results achieved with the combined components in the composition exceeds the expected algebraic sum of the activity of each component when separately used on the surface. These synergistic activities contribute to unique compositions and methods.